David Murdoch and the Team Brewster curling team joined Rhona Martin MBE and three other curling teams meeting first Minister Alex Salmond. Alex Salmond recently acknowledged Scotland’s sporting success on the world stage at a celebratory reception held to mark the achievements of its recent world curling champions and medal winning teams.

Four of Scotland’s elite curling teams were invited to Bute House in Edinburgh, the official residence of the First Minister on Wednesday 24th April bringing with them an impressive medal haul of two Gold, one Silver and one Bronze from this year’s World Curling and World Junior Curling Championships.

Eve Muirhead’s World Women’s Champions, Scotland’s World Men’s Bronze medalists skipped by David Murdoch, Kyle Smith’s World Junior Men’s Champions and Hannah Fleming’s World Junior Silver medalists gathered to hear words of congratulations and encouragement from Alex Salmond in a showcase occasion for one of Scotland’s oldest and most successful national sports.

First Minister Alex Salmond said.

“Scotland has an unrivalled heritage in the roaring game of curling, which originated here more than five hundred years ago and has brought us some fantastic sporting success on the world stage, of which the whole of Scotland is justifiably proud.

“Since 2002, our national teams have won an incredible 55 medals, including an unforgettable Olympic gold for Rhona Martin and her rink at Salt Lake City. This year, the success has continued with a women’s world championship, a men’s junior world championship and Eve Muirhead and her rink becoming the first European team ever to win a Grand Slam of Curling event by taking the Players’ Championship in Toronto just last week.

“I hope that this wonderful run of success continues and also serves to inspire new players to take up their brooms and become the champion curlers of the future!”